University Of Boston Law School (Cambridge, Newton: best neighborhoods, rentals, how much)

[las vegas jim]

Hey all, my girlfriend is currently thinking about going to the University of Boston Law School. We currently live in Las Vegas, but both of us are from NY. She wants to know if anyone is familiar with this part of Boston, and how life is in this area. She wants suggestions for neighborhoods to live in and how much she should plan on spending for a roomate in a good area. This is kind of vague as far as what information we are looking for, but any information on this area, or on anything about Boston will be greatly appreciated. Heck we are not even sure what part of Boston the law school is in. Any information would be great. Thanks in advance.

[Cantabridgienne]

Uh....do you mean Boston University?

[ogre]

I'm assuming he means B.U. Vegas Jim, I would just want to make sure that we're talking about Boston University, not Boston College, which is in a different area where info about B.U.'s neighborhood would not apply.

I looked up the map location for B.U. law school. It appears that it's on the main campus. That is located in a very student-oriented area. Lots of colleges within a few square miles. The area is toward the western edge of the central city part of Boston, where the buildings are densely built up. Living in the immediate vicinity would mean living in an aprtment or townhouse, not renting a detached house. Rents vary in the area, but from the numbers I often hear, I'm going to give a very loose estimate that somewhere a bit under 1,000/mo. (rent only) per person would be possible with a roommate, maybe a couple of hundred less with a bargain property, or it could be twice that or more in a more expensive rental.

Given the number of students in the area, some streets can be noisy, which I'm going to guess would be something a professional school student would want to avoid. There are some more quiet neighborhoods fairly close by, many of them connected to the B.U. area by public transit. Some of those areas also might have some detached houses for rent, though these are still urban neighborhoods where there would usually not be much yard space, if any. I also am pretty sure that B.U. has some campus housing for grad and professional students, but I don't know anything about its cost, or whether this is a good housing situation. It's difficult to recommend specific neighborhoods without some info on your GF's housing budget, whether she'll have a car, what kind of neighborhood she would prefer to have in the vicinity of her residence, etc.

In addition to the presence of many students in that vicinity, some activities and amenities that can be found around there are restaurants, dance clubs, Fenway Park, Boston's two best known art museums, and Symphony Hall.

[las vegas jim]

I definitely meant Boston University. Sorry for the confusion. I think she wants to spend between 500-750 for a room. She is used to taking public transportation, for she grew up in NYC.

[Cantabridgienne]

She should look at a map for starters, to see where the law school is. Then see what neighborhoods are around it, then start reading up on those neighborhoods so she can ask more specific questions. Everyone has different criteria for where they want to live, so she really should think about what sort of place she would be most happy/comfortable in.

[ogre]

For the rent she wants to pay, she would do well to find a roommate, or maybe roommates with a house rental, in order to share expenses. Recommending specific neighborhoods would depend on how long a commute she can handle, and what kind of neighborhood atmosphere she'd like. Whether your GF would plan to have a car could be a major factor in determining the best neighborhoods. Some are more car-friendly than others, and some aren't so car-friendly at all.

Much of the area near the B.U. campus is heavily populated by undergrads, and has the reputation for being noisy. This would especially include The Fenway and adjacent streets, and out west of B.U. on the side streets off Commonwealth Ave.

Back Bay, to the east of B.U., has less of an undergrad population, especially farther east, away from campus, but one reason for this is that Back Bay is an expensive area. Your GF would definitely need a roommate to share costs, and would probably have to settle for a small space even at that, and even then there might be few available rentals in that price range. The same would likely be true of the South End, which, aside from the cost of living there, could be good for her in some sections if she likes more trendy neighborhoods.

If she'd like some small-scale local shopping and dining, and doesn't mind if there aren't a lot of bars right in the neighborhood, the Longwood, Brookline Village, and Coolidge Corner areas of Brookline could work. Newton Centre or West Newton would be some sections of Newton somewhat similar to Brookline Village and Coolidge Corner, but farther from B.U. Think of a 25- to 30-minute train ride from those areas in Newton.

Brighton Center, and Brighton in general to the west of about Market St., puts you west of the largest undergrad population, while still offering some neighborhood shopping and dining, probably some bars as well. In case she'd have a preference on public transit, it's worth noting that transit from that part of Brighton would be by bus.

Depending on how long a commute she's up for, whether she's okay with a transfer, etc., there are other areas to consider, maybe South Boston or parts of Cambridge. Again, it depends on commuting preferences, whether she'll have a car, and the kind of neighborhood she's looking for.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by ogre

Brighton Center, and Brighton in general to the west of about Market St., puts you west of the largest undergrad population, while still offering some neighborhood shopping and dining, probably some bars as well. In case she'd have a preference on public transit, it's worth noting that transit from that part of Brighton would be by bus.

Brighton Center definitely has some bars. It's a good option, though it would certainly require roommates to get the rent down to 500-700, and don't forget to factor in utilities, which are often not included and can get expensive, particularly in winter.

The bus ride from Brighton Center to BU Law on the 57 bus is very fast once you're on the bus (generally 15 mins tops). That particular bus line runs fairly often as well, as it replaced a trolley (the former "A" line of the Green Line). On cold or rainy days, though, she may be wishing the bus would come a little faster.